Divide and Conquer
by Aikiri
Summary: Shounen-ai, KxH - "The Youko doesn’t need the ningen to live because it has lived without it. But the ningen needs the Youko to live because it has never lived without it. This Kurama will die in a few days if the Youko doesn’t rejoin with him."


Divide and Conquer

Written: 05.25.03 – 05.08.03  
Edited: --

Alright. I had another random and spontaneous idea for shounen-ai piece. And this one involves Yusuke and the others more. But though I know a lot of you were angry I didn't warn you about the ending of my last story, I still don't want to give away the ending of this one. Will someone die? Will it end tragically? Will there be a happy ending for once? I hate spoiling things, so I'm afraid you'll just have to find out on your own. I hope you won't end your reading disappointed though.

** Divide and Conquer**

He stumbled through forest, his vision blurred and confused. His feet tripped over each other, and the ground felt uneven, tilted somehow. Sweat trickled down his pallid face, dripping down his chin and neck. His wild locks of hair flew in a tangled mess behind him as he trampled on, many strands clinging to his damp cheek. His breath was tortured and forced, and his heart thundered in his chest. He was almost there… The demon tripped and skidded forward on the hard, moss-covered dirt. Standing again, he grabbed onto a thin tree for support.

He coughed suddenly, lurching forward as his eyes widened in pain. Sticky, red blood trickled from his lips, spilling into his hand. Droplets rained down onto the earth, staining it a deep crimson. His upper body then began to ache horribly, and he felt as if his heart was on fire. Forcing himself onward, the creature staggered out of the trees and towards the temple in the distance. A thousand daggers thrusted into his body; that was what it felt like. And yet there was not a single physical injury on him, save the small scratches he'd received from falling. His footsteps were heavy on the temple's porch, and Kurama collapsed unconscious just as he reached the doors.

~

Botan hurried through the air on her faithful oar, rushing to Koenma's office for the urgent news he spoke of. Oh, what could be the matter now? Yusuke would not appreciate another mission quite so soon; it had only been about a week and a half since their last adventure. The fairy mused at what the detective's reactions would be, probably some rude and witty comment about a toddler giving out orders. A pink and blue blurb was all she became as she zoomed through the palace, chuckling slightly. 

Her giggles evaporated immediately, however, upon seeing the serious expression on Koenma's face. His ogre servant, too, looked quite distraught. "What is it Koenma, sir?" she asked, now somewhat curious and afraid of the circumstances. The child-like head of the Reikai mumbled something, then said, "See for yourself." And flipped on the big-screen TV opposite of him. A recording fuzzed on, it was difficult to see at first, but the quality improved quickly.

A silvery figure crept through the dark forests of the Makai, slinking suspiciously towards a grand-looking building. It snuck along expertly; the dozens of guards swarming around the building did not seem to notice him at all. Slowly, deep blue vines sprout from the ground and coiled around the feet of the lookouts. By the time they noticed, the plants had constricted around their chests and were proceeding to squeeze them to death. As they dropped dead or unconscious to the ground, the silver demon walked calmly past and entered the building.

An odd collection and screams and shouts came from inside the building, followed by the sound of glass and wood breaking. Not long after, the youkai exited again with a long staff heavily encrusted with jewels. He looked back inside the temple and laughed, "Tell your masters, my friends, that the Legendary Youko Kurama lives again." His voice was menacing, but clear, and with that, the fox demon flitted off into the forest. 

Botan stared at the screen, absolutely shocked. Koenma nodded, like he had been wearing a similar face not long ago. The ferry girl shook her head in disbelief, "I-Is that really Kurama?" she managed to ask. Koenma turned around in his chair and replied, "It's hard to believe isn't it? But who else could it be? It was the exact likeness of Kurama. George looked through the old recordings of the Youko's thieveries, the styles are matched." 

"But why?! Why would Kurama do this?" Botan cried, glancing at the TV screen again, where the image of the fox demon had been paused. "That is precisely what Yusuke needs to find out." Koenma answered irritably, turning back around in his chair and jumping onto his desk. Several stacks of paper flew off and fluttered to the floor. "The Youko has robbed three demon treasures already, and his first sighting was less than twenty-four hours ago! He's definitely living up to his old name. Yusuke needs to stop this before Kurama's done with the Makai and decides to steal stuff from my dad again!" He shouted, then mumbled something to himself about the lost artifacts, clearly recalling the long ago incident. Botan nodded meekly and rushed off on her oar, what was going on?

~

"What happened to him?" Yusuke asked, quite troubled by the condition of his friend. Kuwabara said nothing, but his eyes asked the same question. Kurama was laying on a futon; a thin, white sheet had been lain on him. He was seemed to be sweating profusely though an ice pack had been put on his forehead and it was hard to tell whether the droplets that dotted his face were sweat or water. His breathing, though irregular, seemed to be taking a lot of effort, and his face was as pale as chalk. His hair was also a mess, spread out across the pillow and clinging to his face. 

Genkai shook her head as she kneeled to removed the ice pack and replace it with a damp cloth. "I don't know what happened, but he showed up at my front steps, unconscious and trembling like hell. He seems a bit better now, but I'm not so sure. His youki is almost completely gone. I can't feel it at all." Yusuke stared down at the redhead, confused and worried. "You two have any idea what happened?" The old woman asked, standing again. Both of them shook their heads.

Yukina entered timidly, carrying a tray with a bowl of soup. "How's he doing, Genkai?" the koormie asked, setting down the tray by the still-unconscious Kurama. "The same." Was the psychic's reply. "Yukina! How are you?" Kuwabara asked enthusiastically, jumping to the blue-haired girl's side. Yukina smiled a bit, "I'm fine, Kazuma, but you shouldn't worry about me when your friend is in so much pain." She said, taking a spoonful of the soup and moving to feed the fox demon. Kuwabara looked slightly pained and embarrassed, but managed a "Yes, of course."

Suddenly, Kurama thrashed in his sleep, knocking the soup bowl over. The ice apparition jumped back, startled. Genkai raised an eyebrow. The redhead cried out in pain, and started shaking violently, his arms wrapped around himself. "W-What are you…you…" His words were shaky and ran together in a jumbled mess, mumbling. The fox shivered and his movements calmed a bit, but his breathing became even more labored. Frightfully, Yukina cleaned up the spilt soup and stood up. "Is he alright?" she asked Genkai, who was looking thoughtfully at the shuddering form.

Before the old woman could answer though, there was an urgent cry from outside. "Yusuke! Yusuke! You here?" The detective in question slid open the door, and immediately a blue-haired girl flew in. She had been going so fast she almost crashed into the wall, she didn't though, instead, expertly handling her oar and making it disappear just as she set her feet on the ground. "Yusuke! I have quite a mission for you from Koen---" Botan stopped short upon seeing Kurama. She gasped and stared, "What happened?" was all she could say.

"Genkai found Kurama on her front steps about two hours ago; he's been unconscious the whole time. We have no idea what's wrong with him." Yusuke explained. Botan shook her head in disbelief, "But that's impossible! The Youko stole that staff an hour ago according to Koenma!" she exclaimed. Everyone in the room turned to her with the same question, "What?" The boat girl relayed what Koenma had told her. Everyone just stared.

"Are you sure it was Kurama?" Kuwabara asked. Botan nodded, "Positive, there is no mistake. His voice was the same and everything." Yusuke was looking at the unconscious demon, looking very deep in thought. Nothing else was said for several moments. Then Genkai cleared her throat and stepped forward. 

"I have a theory," she started, "Although the demon Kurama and the ningen 'Shuichi' were fused and are initially the same person. The mind and spirit of the Youko will always be a little bit different simply because it has had a longer lifespan. This little difference might have allowed Kurama and his Youko self to separate into two different beings." There was another period of silence. Everyone looked puzzled.

Yusuke blinked a few times then asked, "And what about this Kurama's condition?" Genkai looked down at the pale redhead, then said, "I think that---" She was interrupted though. "The Youko doesn't need the ningen to live because it has lived without it. But the ningen needs the Youko to live because it has never lived without it. This Kurama will die in a few days if the Youko doesn't rejoin him." Hiei finished, stepping calmly out of the shadows as if he had been there the whole time.

"_What_!?" Yusuke choked on something, "He'll _die_?" Kuwabara had a similar reaction. Genkai nodded slightly in agreement to Hiei's explanation. Yukina looked scared. The short demon smirked slightly, looking pleased about something. Botan glared at him, "What's with that look?" she demanded, clearly upset. The idea of Kurama dying did not strike her as something to grin about. The demon chuckled, "Kurama is as he should be, back in his Youko form, and no longer held back by his ningen shell." He said simply.

"What about this Kurama!? He's going to die!?" Yusuke yelled. Hiei nodded, glancing briefly at the trembling form of the redhead. "But the Youko is stealing again! Even if he is Kurama's other half, why is he going back to his old ways? Hasn't he changed at all?" Botan cried. Hiei snorted, "He's a demon. A Youko, they're known for their trickery. He could have been wearing a mask all along. Why should you be so surprised?" With that, he was gone, flitted away so quickly that he left not even an indistinct blur behind.

~

"This is bad." Kuwabara said intelligently. "Yusuke, we need to find the Youko. Talk to him, maybe. We don't know how much time Kurama has left." Botan said, her voice filled with worry. Genkai took a sip of tea, "I'd say he has maybe twenty hours left." She said, not bothering to offer a reason for such a conclusion. The spirit detective looked extremely agitated and was pacing the length of the room, wearing down the wooden floorboards.

What Hiei had said really bothered him. How could Kurama go back to his old life? How could he?! Go back to being a petty thief after all they've been through? Youko or not, they were the same person…He was part of the team! He had trusted him! What caused this? Why had his friend split into two creatures? One of them betraying him and one of them near death? He had never fought Kurama before either. Youko or otherwise. And the Youko was supposed to be that much stronger than Kurama could ever be in his ningen body. But other choices did he have? And if he did have to fight him…how would he fair?

Kurama stirred in his uncomfortable sleep, his fingers twitched a bit. He let out a groan and tried to sit himself up, one hand supporting him while the other brushed wild strands of crimson hair from his face. "Kurama! Are you ok?" Yusuke stopped pacing and went to his friend's side. Kurama's answer was interrupted by a cough, blood spilled into the demon's hand and spilled onto the sheet. The green-eyed human half of a powerful youkai smiled weakly, "No, I'm afraid not, Yusuke." He said.

"Ugh, why did this happen? Why did you and the Youko separate?" The detective asked angrily. Kurama laughed a bit and leaned against the wall behind him, he wrapped his arms around himself as his body began to tremble again. A bittersweet smile sat on his lips, "I'll tell you why,…" he said. Yusuke's expression changed from frustration to unexpected curiosity, "You know?" It seemed so obvious…of course Kurama should know why this was happening. He supposed he had gotten used to the assumption that Kurama would stay unconscious until he either died or was re-fused with his Youko self.

"Yes," Kurama answered slowly, looking almost regretful about something. The others in the room all looked towards him expectantly. "The Y-Youko and I…had a disagreement…" he started, gripping himself tighter as the spells of shaking started growing more violent. "How can you have a disagreement with yourself?" Kuwabara asked bluntly. Kurama chuckled a bit, "It's quite hard to explain I suppose, but although the Youko and I are essentially the same person…he clings onto the opinions he had before he joined with me…the human Shuichi. Therefore some of the views acquired contradict with those of the past…"

Genkai nodded absently as Kurama finished. "The…disagreement we had, it's been there for a while. He got fed up with me…and decided to break free…I couldn't stop it, I—aggghhh!" The fox reincarnate lurched forward and blood continued to trickle from his lips. Kurama's hands rose to his head, which seemed to be the source of pain at the moment. "Kurama!" Kuwabara jumped forward, but he didn't know what to do. There wasn't anything physically attacking his friend, it was an energy loss that was eating him away from the inside. There was nothing he could do. Genkai said nothing and left the room.

Yusuke, Botan and Yukina all looked on helplessly as Kurama cried out in pain. Moments later, the surges of torment seemed to have died down again, or at least calmed a little. The old psychic returned with several clean sheets and replaced the bloody one from Kurama's futon. The fox seemed to be in an odd semi-conscious dazed state. His emerald eyes were unfocused and glazed over. "Kurama? Are you alright?" Botan asked meekly, not really knowing what to expect as an answer.

"I-I'm…dying. But you already know that don't you…?" The redhead muttered, he sounded strange, a bit disoriented even. Yusuke looked on at the other worriedly, then thought of something. "Kurama, what did you and the Youko disagree on?" Kurama twitched slightly, though it was difficult to tell with the odd shakes that racked his oddly frail looking frame. His ashened face looked downward, seeming to concentrate on his sheets, "I…We…We're in love."

Silence. "The Youko and I…we're the same…and we're in love…The Youko refuses to admit it, calling it an illusion created by the ningen weakness, but I know he feels the same, because demons do love…and he and I are the same. It doesn't matter that we are separated now…we are still the same…" Kurama fell silent as well, looking more possibly more uncomfortable than he had been. His explanation had turned into a short rambling and trailed off at the end. He waited for his friends' reply, knowing the question that awaited him. But ah, what did it really matter? He was going to die soon. The Youko would never agree to rejoining with him again. 

"Who is it…that you love? Maybe we can use her to get the Youko to rejoin with you…or something." Yusuke suggested awkwardly, he didn't know what he expected the reason to be. But certainly not _that_. And again he berated himself for dismissing some possibilities because of his perspective. He had always viewed Kurama as a demon, usually forgetting that he was indeed, part human. His two halves have been made painfully obvious now. This was definitely a weird and very tight situation.

"I doubt it…I'm going to die, Yusuke. There's nothing you can do. Hiei would never agree to something like that. He's probably glad the Youko parted with its weak ningen half." Kurama said in a cynical tone, a few coughs followed his sentence. He silently mused as everyone else in the room froze again. "H-Hiei? Y-You're in love with _Hiei_!?" Kuwabara spluttered, eyes wide and mouth hanging. Genkai sipped her tea; the blue-haired girls held blank expressions. Yusuke just stared disbelievingly.

"Indeed,…Hiei…" Kurama murmured in reply to Kuwabara's surprised exclamation before another seizure-like wave racked his body, gripping him in tremendous pain. He just wanted to die then…there was no point in trying to hang on any longer. He was going to die. Why delay it? Gasping for breath, Kurama fell onto his side, the sheets twisted around his body. He didn't really know what hurt more, the physical pain of separation from his Youko self, or the pain of knowing that'd he never be able to…no, he never had a chance to begin with. It didn't matter. He was going to die, the Youko was going to relive as a thief. It didn't matter.

Kurama passed out again, though his movements did not stop. Genkai stood to straighten the sheets and replaced the damp cloth on his forehead. "So what are you going to do Yusuke?" she asked calmly. The black-haired boy continued to stare at Kurama, then looked up and sighed, "We have to find the Youko." He answered simply and started towards the door. "Botan, do you have any idea where he might be?" The ferry girl looked startled at being called and jumped up, her oar materializing beside her.

"I can't say exactly, but he'll either be hiding somewhere or robbing another item. Koenma's been keeping me posted on his progress. He's gotten another two items since I arrived. I'll lead you to his last location." She said, jumping onto the oar. Yusuke nodded, slid the door open and exited the room with a quick word to Genkai, "Take care of him till we get back with the Youko." He said. Kuwabara jumped up and stumbled out the door after him, "Hey, wait for me!"

~

He was a mere blur in the eyes of the stronger creatures, and simply invisible in the eyes of the weak. The Flying Shadow lived up to his name quite nicely as he sped through the dark Makai forest. There were many possibilities that lined up with Youko Kurama's revival. They had partnered up once, they could do so again. And this time the youkai wouldn't be held back by foolish ningen priorities. If they stole powerful magic items this time, Kurama would not be inclined to waste them. The idea was tempting. They could be unstoppable; especially after having temporarily befriended the Reikai Tantei, temporarily been a part of it. Yusuke and the fool would not have the heart to fight them…they would be clearly advantageous.

But…he could mask it from everyone else, but he could not hide from himself. Hiei knew that he had grown softer as well, as much as he recoiled at the thought. He didn't know if he would be able to return to such a life. Then again, what really did he have to loose? Yukina would never know that he was her brother; she would never know that this disgusting and horrible creature was her brother. So it did not matter what he did. What about Kurama? If he joined up with the Youko again that would mean that the ningen half would die. The sliver of humanity that had infested his demon soul, the piece that made him who he was. Hiei had never known the Youko, not really. Even during his transformations, though gaining a little bit more of the Youko's ruthlessness, Kurama had always been Kurama. Without his human side, would he really be the same person?

The short youkai paused briefly on a tree; the plant life around him had suddenly grown lusher, more tropical. Moving a bit slower, he advanced on. There was a small cave opening nearby, the entrance was covered in moss and vines. Several unfriendly flowers glared from the general area, venomous nectar dripping from their blossoms. It definitely looked like the kitsune's style. Hiei dropped from the branches, landing silently on the ground below. The forest floor was layered with a smoking mist; the fog curled around his feet and the small shrubs, hiding them from view.

One of the flowers made a weird hissing sound, turning towards Hiei threateningly. Several of the others did the same, arching their stems and flashing their brilliantly colored, jagged leaves for effect. "Do come in, Hiei. Don't mind them, they haven't been fed and are just cranky." A voice called from inside the cavern. The youkai stiffened a bit, having forgotten about the Youko's superior sense of smell and hearing. He stepped forward, cautiously eyeing the plants; they eyed him back viciously, but made no move to attack. Waiting inside the cave was the unmistakable silvery form of Youko Kurama.

Spread out on a wooden table were several shining items, all laden with sparkling gems and rare jewels. The fox grinned as Hiei glanced at them, "Did you come here to partner with me again?" he asked casually. The black-clad demon remained silent for several moments, looking back and forth from the small fortune and the Youko. Did he? Was that the reason he had sought out this place? It was so easy to return to the life he had supposedly left behind. He had agreed to join the Reikai Tantei so that his record may be cleaned, to escape punishment. But this chance…so tempting. The power, the wealth, it seemed to call out to him. 

On the other hand,…did he really know this creature? He was not truly Kurama without his other half. Did he trust him? Youkos were known throughout the Makai for their cunning, their tricks, and their deception. Any demon would think twice before joining sides with one. They were known to betray their allies and friends, all for their own gain. The ningen side was the side to trust. But that side lay dying back in the Ningenkai. Decisions, decisions. The Forbidden Child sighed, causing the Youko to twitch an ear; he was still waiting for an answer.

"No." Hiei said in a stone voice, "I came to ask you to rejoin with your other half." Golden eyes glared at him, fierce and unblinking. The fox said nothing in immediately reply, having clearly not expected that answer. Finally, an eerie chortle escaped the creature's lips. "And why would I want to do that after finally escaping that human shell? Seventeen years confined and I am finally free. Surely you don't think I intend to return?" Hiei remained expressionless and still; his own blood-red eyes stared intently back, matching the Youko's in ferocity. 

"What's the point of returning to this life, Kurama?" he asked, making a small gesture to the recently stolen items on the table. The shimmering silver youkai laughed, "What's the point of staying with that other life?" he countered. Hiei frowned slightly; he had never imagined himself having this conversation. Trying to convince a demon to return to a life of virtue? It seemed ridiculous. "What about your other half then? You're just going to let him die? He's part of you." He said frostily, still half-wondering why he had let himself get into this. 

"Not anymore. I have lived without that creature for hundreds of years, I do not need him. He can die; it does not matter to me." The Youko answered with an air of boredom. Hiei allowed a soft growl and reacted impulsively, "It matters to _me_." That reply surprised them both and effectively started a _very_ awkward moment of silence. The fire demon had no idea where that had come from; he had never planned to say such a thing. It had come out of him, almost out of instinct. And it confused him.

Did it really matter to him that much if the human Kurama died? The Youko could not be that much different. The Youko was better; the notorious thief lived once again. Hadn't he hoped that one day Kurama would be free of his human weakness and be reborn as the Youko again? He had. And now that hope had become a reality. Why did he not accept it and join forces with him again? Why couldn't he seem to give up this pathetic life he lived now? Running around following a toddler's orders, aiding human spirit detectives in their missions to confine demons within their own world. Was this how he wanted to live?

The fox was equally confused, why should Hiei care if his ningen half lived or died? He had complained a thousand times of the weakness if brought him. That idiotic human compassion. So why was he here trying to convince him to rejoin? It did not make sense…surely Hiei had not softened so much as well? Had their days with the Reikai Tantei, all those humans, had it tainted his demon spirit with thoughts of care and kindness? Surely Hiei could not…no, of course not. His demon ally could have a countless other reasons for these actions, these words. Every reason in the world, _any_ reason in the world, except that. That was an impossibility. 

"You aren't going to remerge with him are you?" Hiei asked, breaking the wordless atmosphere with his frigid tone. The Youko shook his silvery head, "Never again." His voice sounded irritated, angry almost, "And if that is all you were here for, then I suggest you leave before you outlast your welcome." The short youkai took once last glance at the stolen treasures, then was gone. An indistinguishable blurb, invisible in the black Makai forest. The amber eyes of the Youko looked intently into the trees after him. 

~

Getting into the Makai had taken longer than they anticipated. The demon world was busier than usual as news of the Youko's revival swept through the satanic wastelands like plague. Unfortunately, though the kitsune's return was seemingly known by all, very few demons knew where the Youko actually was. Yusuke, Kuwabara and Botan trekked through the forest that had been nearest to the demon's last target of thievery, but they found nothing. As time ticked on, Yusuke became more and more irritable. "Did the Youko have a liar of something?" he demanded of Botan, who was flying several feet above them, looking out into the distance.

"I'm not sure. We don't have many records on him. The Youko had always been a very slippery character; we don't even know if he had a permanent residence at all!" the ferry girl replied, just as frustrated as the rest. She did not want to have to take another friend to the Reikai; her eyes still watered at the thought of Genkai, and that old woman was alive again! They had to find the Youko,…or Kurama would surely die. Oh, how was she supposed to explain that to Koenma? She imagined the childlike face of her employer, flushed red with fury and annoyance. 

Kuwabara reached out with his spirit senses, trying to detect the youki of the fox demon; it was difficult however. The Youko's signal was significantly different from Kurama's, and he had only seen the Youko three or four times before. And he found it hard to concentrate, the idea that the kind, wise and considerate Kurama was in love with the rude, arrogant and fiery Hiei still hadn't sunk in completely. The thought, frankly, gave him goose bumps.

Suddenly, they heard a familiar flitting sound ringing through the upper branches of the gloomy-looking trees. A black blurb shot towards them; handfuls of loose obsidian leaves fell in a trail, having been shaken loose by the force of the demon landing on the branch. "Hiei!" Yusuke called out, waving one hand. The shadow did not slow. "Come on, shrimp, where you runnin' to!?" Kuwabara yelled, though he hadn't seen anything except falling leaves. The Forbidden Child growled mentally and landed in the tree directly beside the trio, somehow knowing he was going to regret stopping. 

"Do you have any idea where the Youko could be hiding?" Yusuke asked hopefully, Kurama's words echoing in the back of his mind. _Could_ he convince Hiei to try and persuade to Youko to recombine with his ningen self? It was not a challenge he wanted to tackle, but what other choice did he have? He couldn't just let Kurama die. And Koenma would be pissed if they allowed the Youko to rob the Makai blind. The koormie's face was unreadable, free of any sort of emotion whatsoever. Please know where the Youko is, Yusuke thought, if nothing else.

Hiei glared down at the group, he didn't really want them to know that he had gone to see the Youko at all, much less try to convince him to return. But what if these idiots could succeed where he failed? What if they could save Kurama? Was his pride worth more than his fox's life? _His_ fox? Where the _hell_ did that come from? He wanted to throw cold water on his face, that thought had scared the hell out of him. He needed a break…sleep…or something…he just wasn't thinking clearly anymore. 

"It's no use talking to him, you know." Hiei said at last, "He wouldn't have gone to the trouble of separating just to go back at your begging." He knew that wasn't going to change Yusuke's mind. The human was set on finding and talking to the Youko. But it threw off the youkai's true actions and opinions. "Do you know or not?!" The detective demanded impatiently. "It doesn't any difference." Hiei repeated. "Goddamnit, Hiei, how can you be acting like this!? Kurama's going to die. The least you can do is help!" Yusuke yelled. 

"Why should I waste my time when I know it won't change anything?" The demon snarled. Kuwabara and Botan looked on wordlessly, wondering if Yusuke would mention... "Because he's dying because of _you_." The black-haired boy said. Hiei froze. "What?" Yusuke glared daggers at his friend, "He _loves_ you, Hiei. He loves you. And the Youko separated because of that, because he doesn't want to admit it. But he loves you, they love you. And you're just going to stand by while he dies?" Freeze. Botan held her breath, eyes glued to the shadow in the trees, waiting for his reaction. 

Hiei did not move, he _could_ not move. Every single one of his muscles had frozen in place and would not allow it. His heart was in his throat and he could feel himself burning up. He didn't just hear that. He couldn't have just heard that. The words did not make sense. Kurama loved him? Was this some sort of joke? A cruel dream perhaps? No one could love him, the Forbidden Child, filthy, arrogant, bastardly Hiei. How could anyone care for him like that? He didn't even love himself. That fox, … that stupid, idiotic fox had given in to human affections and was now directing it to him. Baka, baka kitsune.

He was dying because of this? He understood now. The Youko half recoiled at the very thought, denying it in every form, refusing to believe those feelings, he couldn't stand to be a part of something that had succumb to such things. And so they separated. A painful process it must have been. And now, what? The Youko lived in denial, trying to return to his old life, before he had ever know such feelings; meanwhile, the human 'Shuichi' would struggle to hang onto life, and eventually die. Such a sad story indeed.

_ And you're just going to stand by while he dies?_ Yusuke's words returned to him. Was he? He had already tried to talk to the Youko hadn't he? What more did they want from him? _He_ loves _you, Hiei_. Was that really true? Or just a trick to confuse the hell out of him? How did Yusuke know anyway? Was it true? Was it true? How could he know? How could he be sure? Why did it matter? The thought struck him. Why did _he_ care what Kurama felt? Why should he care? Why should he care if Kurama had grown weak? Why should he? Because…

_ It matters to _ me_._ He had said that. Why? Why did it matter to him? Why did he care? There had been a time when he wouldn't have cared. There had been a time when he had been as ruthless and heartless as the rest. Why couldn't he return to those times? He couldn't…he couldn't possibly have grown this weak as well? Could he? Kurama. What did he mean to him? Was he a friend? An ally? How did he feel towards the fox? His fox? He had thought that. What did that mean? What did that mean? Did he…?

Hiei flitted off, slower this time, allowing even the fool to follow his movements. "Follow me." He muttered, just barely audible, nothing could have been deprived from his voice. Not a hint of any of the thoughts that had flooded his mind. It was as cold and expressionless as it had always been. It told nothing. The trio followed wordlessly. Kuwabara didn't know what he expected. He would have probably been surprised no matter how Hiei reacted. But surely this was the most unexpected of all? Would it have been less shocking if the demon had made some scornful and cold-blooded remark?

But what did this mean? Did Hiei love Kurama? Was that even humanly possible? Demonly possible? Was that half-pint little bastard capable of such a feeling? Kuwabara shook his hear clear of thoughts. This was one hell of a weird day. Botan kept pace with Hiei, ahead of both Yusuke and Kuwabara on her oar. She couldn't help but smile a little. The blue-haired girl dearly hoped that this turned out well. Hiei did care for Kurama, she knew that, but whether or not he loved the fox was an entirely different question. But she hoped he did, because she doubted that Kurama would ever be whole again without that love. Literally speaking. Love was such a complex matter…especially among such stupidly prideful demons. Sighing, she followed on.

~

Genkai dunked the cloth in ice water, squeezed it dry, then replaced it on Kurama's forehead. The redhead had grown steadily worse. He had a fever of nearly 109, which was critical for a human, though a demon would not have even noticed such at all. Beads of sweat dotted his face and trickled down into his pillow. His wild crimson hair had been spread all about from his tossing and turning, many strands clung to his sticky face. His breathing was erratic, and the old woman was sure she could hear his heart thumping like a bird's. He did not have much time left.

Yukina entered the room with another bucket of ice for their vain attempts to keep his temperature down. She set down the pail beside Genkai and looked frightfully at Kurama, "Are they going to make it in time?" The psychic shook her head sadly, "I don't know." She said, soaking another cloth as all the water started evaporating off the old one. "How long does he have left?" the ice apparition asked, fearful of the answer. The pink-haired woman pulled back a few strands of Kurama's red hair thoughtfully as she exchanged the cloths again. "Either not enough, or just barely enough."

~

The Youko sat in his cave, leaning against the cool, charcoal wall. He had planned to raid a demon temple not far from the cave, but he had anticipated Hiei's company. Working alone wasn't nearly as fun as being in a partnership. There was no one to laugh with about the foolishness of their targets. He remembered Kururone, such interesting times they'd shared. The fox sighed; he didn't understand why Hiei hadn't taken up the offer. Why, why did the koormie care if 'Shuichi' died? It made no sense. Hiei didn't care for anyone except Yukina, and that was through blood.

Youko Kurama longed for the shorter demon to be at his side, he…no. The youkai could have smacked himself for that thought. That was the very reason he had parted with his ningen reincarnate. Those feelings…He couldn't have those feelings. He _couldn't_. Demons were not meant to have such feelings. They were capable of such. And he had broken free of his weakness…he was no longer half and half…no longer. Was that why he wanted to work with Hiei again? To satisfy this…this…emotional need? Was that it? The demon was suddenly furious with himself. He was a legendary thief,…he had been, and he will be again. He didn't need anyone. The thought was atrocious.

His silver furred ear twitched a crunching leaves outside the cave entrance. The unfriendly flowers gave a threatening screech as the footsteps approached. Droplets of acidic venom dropped onto the dead leaves around them, burning them instantly. The Youko glanced sideways at the opening of the cave, the scent of his visitors were distinct and familiar. Scrunching up his nose, the kitsune stood, the tips of his ears brushed the smooth, rock ceiling. Outside, his plants gave their last warning, he could feel them arch to their full height and hiss, spitting out their acid at the ground directly in front of the uninvited guests. 

"Call your plants off Kurama! It's us!" Kuwabara's voice shouted. "He already knows that, fool. If he wanted you to come, his plants would have never attacked." A softer voice mumbled; Hiei. The Youko was about to grin at the remark, but quickly stopped himself, determined to remain in a bad mood if it meant keeping himself free of those other…thoughts. He knew what Yusuke and the others wanted. The same thing Hiei wanted. But he would not rejoin with his other half…he would not return to that weakness. 

He supposed he could have summoned stronger plants; it would have probably taken less effort than putting up with his former allies' words. But somehow, he didn't feel like it, didn't want to. Frustrated, the Youko remained silent as his pets were beaten down and the two humans, ferry girl and demon entered his cave. Yusuke and Kuwabara walked in front, followed by Botan, and lastly Hiei, who looked like he just wanted to disappear. The group, too, was silent upon coming in, but the look in Yusuke's eyes said all.

The detective was glaring at the fox demon in a similar fashion he had Hiei; his brown eyes burned with an odd, disappointed anger. "You know why we're here." He said after a while. It wasn't a question, merely a statement to get things started. The Youko's tail shifted slightly as he returned Yusuke's foreboding gaze. "Yes." He answered simply, and added, "And you already know my answer." Hiei frowned at Yusuke, giving him a noiseless 'I told you so'. 

"Why? Why did you separate?" The black-haired boy asked, he already knew the answer of course, but he wanted to hear it from the Youko. The youkai gave no reaction to that, no twitch or anything. His golden eyes seemed to glaze over a darker tawny as he replied, "I grew tired of that human weakness." He said menacingly, unconsciously baring his fangs slightly. "Oh really? That human weakness had you living happily for seventeen years! Why now? What are you to gain from becoming a thief again?" Yusuke inquired.

The Youko snarled, "I've had this conversation already and I don't need to have it again. Get out of here, Yusuke." The Reikai Tantei raised an eyebrow; he had had this conversation already? With whom? He suddenly realized. Hiei! Of course! Who else? That was how the demon had gotten here so quickly, he had already been here once before. Smiling mentally, Yusuke glanced sideways at Hiei, who was avoiding his gaze. 

"We're not leaving without you, Kurama." Botan said softly. "Give it up! I'm never going back to being a human weakling! I'm never going back!" the kitsune exploded, eyes flashing dangerously. Kuwabara noticed small green sprouts peeking out of cracks in the stone. "Why!?" Yusuke challenged, "Because you can't accept your own feelings? It doesn't matter what you say, 'Shuichi' is still a part of you! And the fact of the matter is that you _do_ love him!" The silver demon recoiled, thoroughly shocked. Hiei's gaze bore a hole in the ground.

Reality came crashing down on the Youko like an anvil and his stubborn barriers were broken through. Was it true? Could it be true? Dare he even think it be true? A sudden pain gripped at his chest as his brain searched for an answer. Could he deny it any longer? The fox glanced quickly at the Forbidden Child before turning away again. Forbidden were these thoughts, these feelings. Packed away in a cold, damp cell, who had unlocked them? This demon. He was beautiful. No, no, _no_. You can't be like this. You can't feel this. You are_ incapable _of this emotion. This is the weakness you left behind. Don't reacquire it after you've been freed…

What did it matter anyway? What did it matter when surely the feeling was completely worthless and useless? Why did they have to make such a big deal of this…? Youko Kurama stared painfully at Yusuke, unwilling to look at Hiei again. "W-What does it matter…? I'm the only one to have fallen prey to this weakness…" he whispered. The fire demon looked up from the floor; ruby red eyes look intently at the kitsune, whose gaze refused to meet his own. "Whether or not I rejoin with myself makes no difference…" the fox said. Hiei swallowed the lump that had been in his throat since entering the cave. One-sided? Were these feelings one-sided? Did Kurama love one that did not return his feelings? He could not lie to himself, but he honestly did not know. The thoughts confused him. How could he sort them out?

Hiei stepped forward noiselessly and stepped onto the table so that he was the same height as the Youko. No one said a word as the short youkai leaned forward slowly, hesitantly, one hand touched the other's cheek, gently turning the silvery fox's face towards him. Their lips brushed together, and Hiei landed a soft kiss. The koormie pulled back quickly, as if surprised at his own actions, though his hand remained, his thumb absently stroking the Youko's handsome face. The world stood still for them.

A thousand thoughts and feelings flooded through Youko Kurama, everything from indescribable joy to unimaginable hatred. Hiei,…He…he… How could he? He was as a true demon should be, void of petty feelings and longings. How could he…love him? No…no, no, _no_. He didn't, he couldn't. Could he? No! How could he? How dare he? How _dare_ he love him? How dare he draw him back to these feelings that he had tried so desperately to escape. How could he put all his efforts to waste? How could he… Was he being stupid? Wasn't this what he wanted? To be loved? To be touched by this angelic demon? Kissed and caressed? What did he really want? What did he want? His old life? A new life? Hiei?

Perhaps he had been denying something else all along. The fear. The fear of _rejection_. The Youko had no weaknesses, no fears, nothing that held him back. Until now? Perhaps he had been afraid of that all along, merely masking it as a hatred for the weakness that had consumed him. Hiei's blood-red eyes stared into his of brilliant gold. The fire demon's own head exploded with realizations. Namely, the truth. The truth had found him and was drowning him in a barrage of new sensations. He did love Kurama. He had proven it to himself. One act, one test, one motion; that was all it had taken. He should have realized earlier. He had always been close to him, he had always enjoyed his company above all others; he always had. He had always loved him. The thought had just been too foreign and ridiculous sounding for him to realize it. He had been foolish to think that love was a trait only humans had. 

Hiei stepped down from the table and walked towards the exit of the cave. The shocked forms of Yusuke, Kuwabara and Botan moved out of his way, still too stunned to say anything. "We'd better hurry. You don't have much time." The Forbidden Child said. The Youko stared after him, the overwhelming rush of thoughts slowly slowing. Could he continue to deny these feelings? Could he pretend anymore? Could be revive the memory of the fearful Youko? No. He couldn't. He did love him. He loved Hiei. More than anything. And therefore his separation with his human half had been pointless, and he would return. For Hiei, he would return. 

~

The door smacked loudly against the wall as it was pulled almost violently open. Yusuke barged into the room, eyes immediately locking with Genkai's. "How is he?" he gasped, out of breath from the run. Kuwabara, Botan, Hiei, and the Youko flooded in after him, anxious about the uncertain deadline. The old psychic stood quickly from her place, looking somber, she sighed and shook her head, gesturing to the redhead laying awkwardly on the futon. "You should have been here thirty seconds earlier. He's gone." Yukina looked sadly at Kurama, his form was still, not even a labored breath escaped his lips.

"_No_, we're not late." The Youko pushed through the others and kneeled next to his other half. Hiei looked on impassively. Placing one hand on the ningen's head, the fox demon closed his eyes. A golden aura surrounded him and quickly moved to surround the other as well. The light completely consumed the Youko's shape and soon he was no more. The glowing youki continued to swirl around Kurama's human form, bathing him in it. Everyone else looked on in awe.

Suddenly, Kurama's body gave a heave upwards, as if an electric shock had been sent into it. Then he gave an agonizing scream as his body started shaking, more intensely and uncontrollably than ever before. Damp strands of his crimson hair shifted silver, and one of his ears grew larger, furrier. But as the light began to fade, the Youko features dimmed as well. The silver shifted again back to red, and the ear morphed back to normal. His shaking lessened to an uncomfortable tremble and his cries stopped. Kurama was on his side on the futon, breathing in short irregular hiccup-like movements. 

Genkai smiled slightly and gave a short 'humph' as she turned the demon back onto his back and threw another blanket over him. "Give him a few hours, he'll be fine." Several sighs of relief were released. Yusuke grinned and stretched, then turned to Botan, "Hey, I completed a mission and I didn't even have to break a sweat!" he laughed. The ferry girl thwaped him over the head with an happily annoyed look on her face. "You sweated more in the last twenty minutes than you did fighting Toguro!" Yukina giggled good-naturedly. Kuwabara bounced to his beloved's side, offering to help her with the empty bucket she was carrying out of the room. Genkai walked towards the door, clearing her throat a bit as she exited. Yusuke and Botan cast a quick glance to Hiei, who stood unmoving against the wall, emotionless eyes staring at Kurama. As quickly, and inconspicuously as they could, they left the room as well, closing the door behind them. 

The fire youkai closed his eyes, instantly, images of the last few hours replayed through his head. The discovery of Kurama's separation. His conversation with the Youko. His conversation with Yusuke. The Youko's words. His actions. The kiss. Such a simple act. Yet it meant so much. His realization. The truth. There was a saying, a human saying; the truth hurts. But in this case,…no, the truth was good to know. It was much better than the confusion that had played through his mind before. Not knowing, not knowing his own thoughts and feelings, that had been torment. The koormie remained in the room for several hours, undisturbed. Yes, the truth about himself was nice to know. And the truth about Kurama?

Hiei moved towards the now-calm body of the fox. _His_ fox. Kurama's breathing had returned to normal, and the signs of the entire ordeal were slowly disappearing. Kneeling down, Hiei brushed away stray strands of red hair from the other's face, revealing his peaceful, sleeping face. He was beautiful. It had taken him that long to realize that? He allowed a soft chuckle to escape his frosty lips. It was funny, how un-in touch he had been with himself. But well,…better late than never right? He was lucky. Things had played out alright. They could have _easily_ turned out otherwise. He was lucky.

Kurama let out a soft groan and shifted slightly towards Hiei in his sleep. Slowly, his eyelids were pulled back, revealing a set of perfect emerald eyes. "H-Hiei…?" The Forbidden Child said nothing, but nodded. The redhead drew himself into a sitting position, looking around the room with a dazed expression. Gradually, as the memories of the two halves merged, a more surprised look came to his face. "I…" Kurama began, but Hiei wasn't in the mood for too many more words. "Don't say anything." The fire youkai said, pulling the kitsune into a tight embrace. "I'm just glad I didn't lose you, any part of you." With tears of happiness, sadness, and relief welling up in his eyes, the healthy mixture of human and demon hugged back, and said nothing.

** Owari**

_ ~_

Well? I was debating with myself as soon as I got the idea for this story about whether or not I should give you a happy or sad ending. I could have so easily warped it so that it ended tragically…personally, I think the ending was crap. I'm horrible at sap. [Oh look, a rhyme!] O_o But I was looking through some of my comments on "Too Late" and decided that I should have a happy ending, for once. I'm not sure if I plan on doing it again, though. Heh. We'll just have to see, I suppose. Well anyway, I hope you enjoyed this story because I did enjoy writing it, and it was twice as long as the last one! As always, please review, they inspire me more than anything else. Oh, one more thing, about the title. =/ I don't really know where it came from or how it fits exactly. I didn't have a prepared title at all. "Divide and Conquer" just came to me out of the blue. I suppose…Kurama's _dividing_, allowed him – his Youko self, to _conquer_ his feelings. Or something. =P I dunno.

  
**Yu Yu Hakusho** © Yoshihiro Togashi  
Text © Kiriska


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